Leaving the Past
by utsubame
Summary: [COMPLETE] Sequel to A Place to Belong. Duo is about to marry the man he loves but as usual, his past is about to come back to him in a big way. Will he continue to run? 2x6x2
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimers:** I do not own GW.

**Warnings: **General warnings such as OOCs, shounen ai.

**Notes: **This is the promised Sequel to A Place to Belong. Not a long story but I hope you like my attempt at 2x6x2 anyway.

**Leaving the Past**

Chapter One

"It has been too long since I've been here," he whispered, laying the flowers on the grave. "I am sorry. I hope you weren't lonely here." He looked around, taking in the serene view. Huge trees shaded the entire area while a soft breeze blew almost perpetually. It as really the perfect place for eternal rest.

He sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "I have been remiss in my duties, but I hope you understand. There were too many memories here. I had to leave before it drove me to suicide." He reached out and touched the rough stone lovely, almost as if he was caressing skin. "And I remember distinctively you told me that you would kick my ass back to the living plain if I died before I was old and grey."

He could almost hear amused laughter as he leaned back against the gravestone, enjoying a moment of silence. He wondered how long has it been since he experienced such serenity. Live had not been very kind to him for the past seven years. He wasn't going to say that he hadn't found happiness and peace during that time but it was just this utter silence in his soul, no constant worrying and thinking of what to come or what might have been, was missing for a long while now.

"Well, I'm back, my love," he whispered. "If only for a little while." He took a deep breath. "I also wanted to tell you something. I found someone." He sat there, stock-still, half expecting lightning to strike where he was. When nothing but the sound of birds remained, he spoke again, "I think you would have liked him. He makes me happy. Not in the way that you do. He understands that you will always have a part of me. He accepts that, unlike _him_. I also accept that he will always have emotional baggage to lug around."

He smiled. "Duo Maxwell would have bugged you to death, but I think you would admire his zest for life. He never gives up on it not matter how bad things get. I love him."

_And I am glad…_ Came a soft whisper in the wind. He whipped his head around, his eyes wild. Was he dreaming? Perhaps it was just the breeze? But it could be approval, from the one person he so desperately wished would give it to him.

"I am getting married. To him."

He waited. Would there be any more voices in the wind to tell him he made the right choice? He was disappointed by the deep silence that ensued but something else was getting more and more apparent, a feeling of benevolent approval slowly enveloping it.

He got up, and for the first time in a long while, he smiled. It was an expression that was void of sadness, pain or regret. It was an expression that bespoke of acceptance and joy. It was over, he had finally managed to put his past behind. This one last deed that had been in the back of his mind ever since he told Duo Maxwell that he loved him.

He turned back to trace the gravestone again. "I will be gone again. But remember, where ever I am, whatever I do, you will always be in my heart. And I will love you forever more." He stared down at the words he engraved there himself.

Lucrezia Noin

My loving wife,

In my memory for always.

As he walked out of the graveyard, he could have sworn he heard something.

_As will I, Zechs. Be happy always._

XXxxXX

Duo Maxwell woke to an empty bed. He felt a sense of loss and a tinge of abandonment before he realised where he fiancé probably went. With a despondent sigh, he threw the covers back over his head, trying to go back to sleep. He missed his human huggy pillow and as needy as it sounds, it was hard to sleep without his favourite pillow. Also, things that happened two days ago started to creep back into his mind. He threw back the covers in frustration, sleep no longer an option and headed for the shower. He would need to pack and check out before anyone found them. He wasn't sure if anyone would bother but still, he was used to covering his trail. He had been doing that for the past seven years and he wasn't about to stop now.

Hot water rained down hard on him, but it wasn't enough to drive away all the bad memories that decided to plague him that morning. And without Milliardo as a buffer, he was more helpless for it. He couldn't believe what had happened. He couldn't believe he went from victim to the evil, heartless bastard that tore Heero Yuy's heart out and left him for dead. He couldn't believe how much lies was told and the truth left in the grave just because he left. Perhaps he should have confronted them. But could he at that time? He had remembered feeling like his world had crashed and splintered. The two people he trusted more than anything that done something so completely unforgivable. They had betrayed him. Sure he loved Heero at the time, but the sense of love lost was nothing compared to the feeling of knowing your friends could do something like this behind your back. They were people he trusted with his life, but apparently, couldn't trust with his heart.

To make things worse, even Quatre hadn't believed in him. Quatre, who he thought knew him the best. Quatre, his supposed best friend. The blond didn't even have faith in him, didn't even stop to consider that something might be wrong for him running away and not for the sake of running. Who needs enemies when they had his friends?

A resounding smack echoed through the bathroom as Duo, in a fit of frustration, tried to punch a hole through the bathroom tiles.

Arm surrounded him, pulling him close to another warm body. "Stop hurting yourself, Duo."

Duo leaned against his ground pointing, panting. He barely heard the litany of reassurances Milliardo whispered in his ear as he was guided out of the shower stall, dried and lovingly dressed in a large fluffy robe. He was sat in front of the mirror and his hair was being gently dried before he joined his lover in the present. He sheepishly met Milliardo's gaze in the mirror.

"Sorry," he muttered. He felt stupid. Completely idiotic.

Milliardo smiled softly and dropped a kiss on Duo's crown. "It's alright. I shouldn't have left you alone anyway. Not after what happened."

Duo reached up to grasp his lover's hand. Milliardo took too much on his own shoulders, he blamed himself too much for everything. "Just because I'm a screw up doesn't mean you can't have your own life and visit your wife's grave." He stared steadily into ice blue eyes.

Milliardo's shook his head, keeping silent. Sometimes it was better not to say anything at all. He continued to run a brush through Duo's hair, drying it out. He loved Duo's hair. It was soft and thick and ran like silk through his fingers. It reminded him of everything that was Duo. He looked fragile, but underneath it all, he was tough as nails.

"Do you feel better now?" Duo asked, peeking at Milliardo. They both needed closure. And both could be found here. Milliardo's was harder to obtain, since all he wanted for their future was Noin's consent.

Milliardo nodded slightly. "I think perhaps it was the wind, but I want to believe she spoke to me." He seemed to be far away. "She said she wanted me to be happy."

Duo stood, turning to face his lover, gently taking the brush out of his hand and laying it on the table. He cupped Milliardo's face in his hands. "Oh Mill, I am so happy for you. That's all you ever wanted." He leaned in a pressed their lips together softly.

The blond pulled back and stared critically at his partner. "And now we have to make sure you get all you ever wanted."

Duo pushed away with a disgusted huff and started braiding his hair with quick efficiency that bespoke of years of practice. "Please, I've had enough of acting like a child, crying over things that apparently means nothing to them and angsting for years over issues for no particular reason. It was time I grew up and moved away from my childhood."

Milliardo watched Duo's nervous movements and shook his head. No matter how old Duo grew, he would never stop running from the things he couldn't control, and it didn't necessary mean physically. He watched his lover closely, more worried than anything else as the American tied off the end of his long hair and walked out to the balcony.

Duo stood outside, resting on the railings. His eyes were closed as he breathed in the beautiful Sanq air. It was odd but perhaps he did see this as home, and not the L2 colony, but he did miss Sanq more than any place he could remember. He smiled as Milliardo came up behind him, resting his hands on his shoulders.

"They were more than your childhood, Duo," Milliardo reasoned.

Duo exhaled in frustration and whirled around. "Look, Mill, I really don't want to talk about this. I took your advice to come back here to get my damned closure and it turned out that I did nothing but stir up the hornet's nest again. I don't need it anymore! Why can't you just let me go home? Just go home and live happily ever after?" He buried his face into Milliardo's shoulder, releasing a shuddering breath.

Milliardo sighed. Perhaps Duo was right. He really didn't want to see his partner in the condition he was yesterday when he had dropped everything to come down to Sanq to comfort Duo. The American had been pale and shaking and for a moment, Milliardo had been worried sick when Duo just looked past him. And as usual, after a short period of weakness, Duo pushed everything aside as he always did. Milliardo didn't like it, his partner kept too many things to himself but that was how Duo dealt with things. He was just worried that Duo might just collapse from the strain of repress emotions one day. He did that so many years ago. It was only after that horrible incident that he started to heal. Milliardo wasn't about to let that wound fester again.

It didn't help that Relena had also tried to rip Duo a new one when they met up for dinner last night. Duo had told him to expect it, seeing how close she was to his former lover. But Milliardo hadn't been prepared for the venomous, scathing remarks her sister had thrown at his fiancé. He could see Duo trying to be blasé about the whole thing but deep within violet eyes, hurt bloomed deep and true. Duo had quickly intervened when Milliardo was about to rebuke his sister for the 'gold digging slut' comment. He explained later Relena knew nothing of their lives for the last seven years. It wasn't fair to yell at her for something like that.

"Then why don't you let me explain it to her?" Milliardo had snapped at Duo, yanking his shoes off irritably. The whole dinner left him with indigestion.

Duo shrugged, changing into his pyjamas. "Does it matter? I don't really care what people think of me anymore." He turned to face his lover, his expression vulnerable and his eyes shimmering with hurt. "I only care what you think," he whispered. Then he practically threw himself into Milliardo's arms.

Milliardo was sometimes at a loss when it came to Duo. In so many ways, he was older than his age, having lost so much at such a young age and surviving on the streets. Yet, there was a part of him that was inherently a child and needed to be protected and loved to be coddled. Duo was independent and completely dependent at the same time. Childish and mature together, love and hate rolled into one. He was at once at peace and at war with himself, and in other words, completely confused. He could help someone how needed his assistance, like how he hauled Milliardo from the deepest pits of depression all those years ago but he couldn't help himself.

So it was Milliardo's turn to help him. If he wanted help that was. But then again, Milliardo was just as stubborn as Duo can sometimes be. For now, he would back off and let Duo have his way. Something told him that this would come to head again. And probably soon.

XXxxXX

"He _what_?" Relena Peacecraft shrieked, her voice sharp and shrill even over the vidphone.

Quatre resisted the urge to back up a bit at the onslaught. Trowa winced and plugged his ears with his fingers. Since he was out of the camera's range, he could get away with it. He wondered yet again how Heero managed to get through the war with his hearing intact. The thought of Heero soured his mood immensely.

"Yes," Quatre said, half growling.

"Oh no," Relena wailed, paling. Her expression was one of pain and guilt.

"What?" Quatre asked, sitting forward, instantly alert. Unbeknownst to him Trowa also edged closer to the vidphone.

Relena looked at Quatre, her blue eyes shimmering with tears. "I told him he was a gold digging slut for wanting to marry my brother. Oh God, what did I just say?"

"You _what_?" Quatre yelled.

"Duo and Zechs?" Trowa exclaimed at the same time.

Then they chorused together. "You know where he is?"

XXxxXX

They sat apart from each other. It was the first time in a long time that they weren't touching each other in any way when they were this alone. They were immersed in their own thoughts, buried in their own shame, drowning in their own guilt.

"Heero," Wu Fei looked over at the form of his miserable lover. "I think we need to talk about this."

Heero grunted.

Wu Fei rolled his eyes. Trust Heero to retreat back into grunts and moans. He got up and stood before his lover, grabbing by the collar and hauling him up. "Suck it up, Yuy. We screwed up, alright? Both of us. We did it so badly that if we are to keep hiding here, we are going to lose every single friend that we have."

Heero looked away, unable to meet Wu Fei's sharp stare.

"Heero," Wu Fei snapped, shaking his lover. "It's over. Our putting guilt on him is over. We betrayed him. Yes, we agreed it was a one time thing. Yes, we agreed it was to see if you made the right decision. Yes, we never expected him to come back so early. Yes, you had decided you wanted to spend the rest of your life with him but you still cheated on him. And I helped you." He dropped Heero and sank deeply into the couch, burying his face in his hands. "And freaking helped you," he moaned softly. "And I hurt Zechs, even after I promised Noin I would take care of him."

There was a long silence before Heero spoke, his first words in nearly the entire day. "He really was the love of my life. I really wanted to be with him. I was going to ask him to marry me," he whispered, his voice filled with pain.

Wu Fei looked up, his own dark eyes now rimmed with red. "I know. But no matter what we said, no matter what we felt, it doesn't matter anymore. We owe him. We owe him a lot."

Heero nodded tightly. "I know."

tbc


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimers:** I do not own GW.

**Warnings: **General warnings such as OOCs, shounen ai.

**Notes: **This is the promised Sequel to A Place to Belong. Not a long story but I hope you like my attempt at 2x6x2 anyway.

**Leaving the Past**

Chapter Two

"How can two people as prominent as a former Gundam pilot and Crown Prince of Sanq disappear so utterly?" Quatre blurted, completely disgusted at his staff. A month had passed since that disastrous meeting with Duo and he had been trying to track his friend down, or at least he hoped Duo would be his friend again. There was nothing he could do about the past and his blaming Duo about what happened to Heero. All he could do was to try to make it up to him.

News that Duo Maxwell was currently with Milliardo Peacecraft and about to be married came as a shock to all. Especially Wu Fei. He had wondered often what happened to Zechs Marquise after he had told him that Heero needed him. At that time, Heero was completely broken up about Duo disappearing and Wu Fei wanted to be there for him.

Zechs had been pissed as hell, especially with the former Deathscythe pilot and took off after him, vowing to drag him back by his braid. He too disappeared soon after.

Things between the four of them were still tense, but Quatre, being the eternal mediator, had been willing to listen to reason and explanation. What he heard, he still didn't like, after all, Heero did lie to them all, even by omission. But he could see that Heero did really love Duo and when the American disappeared without saying anything, did break his heart. Quatre still had the wedding ring Heero ordered for Duo and him. The Japanese man refused to keep it thereafter.

Relena was completely frosty with Heero. It was for him after all, that her brother might never speak with her again. She still remembered how incensed Zechs had been when she threw those insults at Duo.

"I am sorry, Mr Winner," his staff apologised profusely.

Quatre sighed, waving him away. He rubbed his aching head and picked up the many stacks of company profiles that countless people send in for hopes that Winner Inc might invest in them.

"Stop scowling so hard, it might get stuck on your face," Trowa said, amused.

"It should be really easy to find them, Trowa. No one, _no one_ can vanish like that without leaving a trace," Quatre threw the stack of papers across his table in frustration.

Trowa came around to stand behind Quatre's tall executive chair. He placed his hands on either side of the blond's shoulders and started massaging the tense muscles. "Guilt is a powerful motivator, love, but please, don't burn yourself out."

"He was my best friend, Trowa," Quatre muttered dejectedly. "And I was so eager to believe the worst in him."

"It's a misunderstanding on both sides, Quatre. And it's a chain effect that caused this problem. Simple as that," Trowa reasoned. "If Duo hadn't run, this wouldn't have happened. If Heero and Wu Fei had kept their pants on, Duo wouldn't have run. If Heero didn't have such insecurities about Duo's feelings for him, he would have kept his and Wu Fei's pants on. If Heero's training and upbringing hadn't been so rigid and him taught to be so emotionless, he wouldn't have so many insecurities about emotions and particularly Duo's toward him."

"What are you saying?" Quatre tilted his head back, looking at his lover in confusion.

Trowa shrugged. "Shit happens."

"Trowa, shit happens isn't an adequate explanation for anything!" Quatre got up and started stalking around the room.

"Look, you're going to get an ulcer if you keep doing that," Trowa advised. "It will do no one any good for you to be like this. You need a level head to figure out where they went." He knew the amount of guilt his lover was going through.

Quatre was the one who took responsibility for everything, and was probably the most sensitive of all. He knew his lover believed he should have seen that Duo didn't just disappear. He should have known something else was probably the matter. It wasn't that Trowa had no feelings in that matter. He also felt the need to apologise to Duo, but there had to be some amount of level headedness in a situation fraught with emotions.

"Trowa Barton, you might not have known him too well, but Duo was a friend. A damn good friend!"

Trowa felt slightly insulted. "I do know him, Quatre. Please, he was my friend too."

Quatre subsided, ashamed. Of course, they were all friends. They didn't know each other well during the wars but subsequent to that, a rather strong relationship grew. Each was important to the other in their own way. Each enjoyed the other's company immensely. Some were more vocal and tactile about it than others but some preferred a comfortable silence in each other's presence.

Trowa steered his partner to his chair once more and sat him down. "Here, have a look at some of these damned company profiles your staff insists on cluttering up your desks with. Perhaps you might just get some idea of how they vanished?"

The blond nodded morosely. Besides, there just wasn't much he could do at this point. He was definitely never going to get an idea of how they vanish but hope that some form of twisted fate would bring them face to face again. Or perhaps Relena would be able to get a clue of where they are.

"Hmm," Trowa commented softly, reading over his shoulder. "Catchy name."

"Huh?" Quatre looked down at the file he was holding.

_Braides & Tresses._

Quatre smiled. Yes, it was a catchy name and reminiscent of Duo's ridiculously long rope of hair. He scanned the names of the management team.

_Chief Executive Officer, Zach Tresses._

_Managing Director, Max Braides._

He frowned. Max… could it be? Could he have for some reason found the person heretofore unable to ferret out his location? There were many people named Max in this world and even a lot more named Zach, which reminded him instantly of Milliardo Peacecraft's other name during the Eve Wars. He quickly scanned the information presented to him. This was still a small and young company, being in existence for the past 5 years.

"You're interested in them?" Trowa asked, surprised.

Normally, Quatre would just dump the entire stack to his investment manager to deal with. Two years ago, Quatre had decided to dabble in a venture capitalist company in efforts to help young and struggling entrepreneurs. Soon, his office had been flooded with proposals by eager businessmen trying to establish some sort of tie with Winner Inc and capitalise on their contacts. It was an opportunity of a lifetime. Most of the time, the proposals and the companies weren't workable and Quatre had been known to stop looking through them, leaving this to his analysts. So, such a sudden interest was unusual.

Quatre nodded, his eyes widening with every page he read. "They have had phenomenal success. They manufacture a rather elite line of hair care products. Hey, how come I haven't heard of them?" He pouted.

Trowa read over the blond's shoulder. His eyes scanning the information quickly. "You should, we use them at home. They don't look like they need our backing, Quatre. How did this business plan land on our table?"

The blond ignored him and called for his assistant to set up a meeting with the management of Braides & Tresses.

XXxxXX

Hilde was giggling as she twirled around with a veil over her head.

"Hilde," Duo mock growled as he watched indulgently his friend enjoy herself within the bridal shop. "I believe I am the one getting married and I don't believe I would be wearing a veil."

Hilde stopped spinning and threw her friend a pout.

"Of course not, sir," a salesperson by the name of Marcy sauntered over with a bright smile. "It's your lovely fiancée here that would wear the veil. We have the latest collections of wedding gowns and tuxedoes available." She ran an appraising eye over Hilde's trim form. "Your lovely fiancée here would fit into many."

The dark haired girl giggled softly as Duo rolled his eyes in exasperation. "No, no," Hilde said, finally taking pity on Duo. "I'm not the one marrying him."

"Oh," Marcy gasped. "I am sorry. Perhaps you would want to choose something for your bride?"

"He's the bride," Hilde laughed, earning her a cuff from her friend.

"Am not! Just because I have this hair doesn't mean I am the woman in this relationship. He has long hair as well!"

Hilde continued to poke fun at her friend. "You're younger, and slightly shorter, that's makes you the automatic bottom."

"What are you, a yaoi fangirl? You know that isn't true!"

Marcy blushed, realising what they were talking about. "Uh… sir…"

Duo attention snapped back to her. "Oh, I'm sorry." He flushed and escorted Hilde out of the shop. "Sorry this idiot wasted your time."

"You blushed!" Hilde poked at Duo's cheeks. "That's what bottoms do! They blush like girls!"

Duo covered her mouth with his larger hand. "It's called a flush damn it! Men don't blush! They flush in an extremely macho manner!"

Hilde freed herself from Duo's restraints. "Hmm… I don't believe men flush at all. They also don't like to put the toilet seat down."

"Hilde!" Duo wailed, exasperated. "Please stop trying to make me spontaneously combust. It is not very attractive."

The girl smiled, hooking her arm around her friend's. She came over from L2 a few days ago, hoping to catch up with her friend before the big wedding in a week or so. They hadn't seen each other for months now and Duo truly missed her.

Duo had intended to take her to lunch, but was waylaid by her leading him to have a look at wedding gowns. For him, she had teased. Hilde had been disappointed that most of the wedding preparations had been completed with nothing much left for her to do but to think of naughty presents to give the two grooms for their wedding night. Duo had explained that their wedding night wasn't going to be any different than any other night they spent together, which sparked off more questions of 'what exactly they did together'. Duo was fast learning that ignoring Hilde and her gibes would be much better to his fragile sanity.

They sat down for lunch at a small café that Duo loved to patronise. After a quick order of two sandwiches, they sat down to talk. They hadn't had much time to actually catch up since Hilde got here. He had been busy with the wedding preparations and his work while she constantly worried about the business she left in L2 with her assistant. A scrap yard might be hard work, but it was satisfying and it put food on her table. She was content.

"Everything ready?" Hilde asked.

Duo nodded. "Almost."

"Something old?" She smiled.

Duo rolled his eyes. "Yes, and something new. Something borrowed and something blue as well."

"The invitation list ready?"

At the mention of invitation list, Duo's mood darkened. He was still stinging about that little drama he had created a month back. Milliardo kept going on and on about how he should try to put it behind him. But Duo already had. What was left to say? He was already over Heero, the lying, cheating blaming bastard and it was clear he had no more friends in that sector. Not that he minded.

"What?" Hilde queried, serious now.

Duo shook his head. "Nothing."

"I don't think so, Duo. You are a lousy liar. And also Quatre called me after five years to ask me where you were. Besides that first angry 'I want Duo dead' phone call when you first left Sanq, they hadn't bothered to contact me."

Duo sat forward. "You didn't tell him anything, did you?"

Hilde studied her friend, her eyes sad. "No, I didn't. If you are over them, why are you still trying so desperately to run? And you never really told me what happened in the past. Only not to tell Quatre anything if he called."

"You of all people never judged me. You never asked me why I was with Mill and not Heero. That was enough for me."

Hilde slid her hand over her friend's rougher, more calloused ones. "Please Duo? Tell me? After all, you are getting married to the man of your dreams in a week. You still need the closure and not talking about it tells me you still haven't gotten it."

"Closure," Duo spat. "It's always about closure. Well, I don't need it. I listened to Mill about closure and look what it got me?" He got up, the chair sliding sharply across the floor. "Look, enjoy your lunch, it's on me." He stalked out of the café without looking back.

"Duo," Hilde sighed, shaking her head in resignation. She took out her cell phone and dialled. She waited while the call connected. "Hello? Yes, it's me. I'm sorry. It didn't work. He walked out on me."

"I'm sorry about that, thanks for your help."

"You're welcome, Milliardo."

XXxxXX

"Mr Braides is out for a lunch appointment." The secretary said by way of apology.

"It's alright," Quatre Winner waved it away breezily. His sharp eyes took in everything. The office had a pleasant set up but it was one that spoke of necessity and practicality than of aesthetics.

Trowa, however, wasn't so nonchalant about it. "How can Mr Braides forget a meeting such as this? He is irresponsible and already shows us he lack the ability to prioritise." He looked over at his partner. "Quatre, let's go."

"No, Trowa, it is fine."

Trowa stared at his lover, unable to believe Quatre just said that. Quatre was ever the stickler for punctuality, especially in the business scene. He took no nonsense from his business partners. And if they pulled something like this, they would have been out the door two seconds ago. But right now, Quatre wanted to _wait_?

"Quatre, I already told you, and you agreed. They don't need us, and I am not about to wait here like a beggar," Trowa snapped, causing the secretary to retreat even further.

"No, we do need you. At least Duo does," came a smooth voice from the door.

"Mr Tresses," the secretary stammered. "Thank goodness."

"Zechs Marquise?" Trowa and Quatre chorused in unison.

tbc


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimers:** I do not own GW.

**Warnings: **General warnings such as OOCs, shounen ai.

**Notes: **This is the promised Sequel to A Place to Belong. Not a long story but I hope you like my attempt at 2x6x2 anyway.

**Leaving the Past**

Chapter Three

"Tresses?" Trowa said in disbelief while Quatre smiled in amusement. They were quickly escorted into the CEO's room after Zechs made an appearance outside Duo's office.

Zechs smiled. "It was Duo's idea of a joke."

"Braids and tresses?" Trowa repeated. "That's the lamest thing I have ever heard."

Zechs shrugged. "Yes, I know. It works. Who cares?"

"Duo doesn't know about us coming here, does he?" Quatre guessed, studying Zechs carefully. It had been years since he saw the former Sanq prince. The last time they met, Zechs had been a wreck. His wife, Lucrezia Noin had just died in a car accident and he had gotten together with Wu Fei at a spur of the moment thing.

Wu Fei had many times expressed his unhappiness that he was merely a replacement for Noin, but he had promised Noin at her deathbed that he would look out for Zechs. He had broken that promise when Duo left without a word. Zechs had been irate at Duo, for having his someone to lean on taken from him once more. He had taken off after Duo, ranting about revenge for being so thoughtless and selfish.

But from what Quatre could see, all resentment and discontent had been erased from Zechs. He seemed truly happy about who he was, and what he was going to do.

"No, my assistant intercepted that called. Thankfully," Zechs leaned back against the sofa, resting his chin on steepled fingers.

"Thankfully?" Trowa was still slightly babbling from surprise.

"Yes, thankfully," Zechs repeated cryptically.

"You want Duo to meet us, don't you?" Quatre exclaimed.

Zechs clapped his hands softly with just a hint of mocking. "Very astute, Mr Winner."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want him to end up like me all those years ago." He was met by confused silence. "I was resentful of what life dealt me, I was rapidly getting to the end of my rope. Wu Fei wasn't helping. He tried his best to be there for me, but he was right, I was merely using him." He took a deep breath and corrected, "We were merely using each other. Our honourable dragon lusted after a taken man and he felt the pinch of guilt. I knew this. And when that taken man become available, he did the first thing even I would do, went for the opportunity of a lifetime."

Quatre and Trowa listened in awe. They knew there were undercurrents of something going on with the dynamics of their friends' relationships but they had never guessed it was that complicated.

"I was, of course, naturally pissed off at the reason for my being alone again, and took off after Duo Maxwell. I think both of you were more biased that you let on. I am sure Heero was heartbroken over the whole thing, but Duo wasn't even covering his tracks properly, I found him within a week," Zechs' tone had a small amount of admonishment in it and it caused the two opposite him to colour deeply. "He appeared fine and seemed to have some idea of what he wanted in life and what he wanted to accomplish. While I was a ranting fool. I attacked him repeatedly, physically as well as verbally. He took one look at me and punched me in the stomach. He said a lot of things to me, all of which I shall not repeat for they are for me ears only. In short, he reminded me that I still had a life and a promise to keep to Noin."

"And what has changed now?" Trowa asked.

Zechs' brows furrowed. "In helping me, I never really realised that Duo also needed his own healing. He hides very well, and not all the time physically. It was only recently I noticed that he really missed his friends, he really needed to face his past. And he had started to act like a belligerent child over the incident a month ago when I forced him to return to Sanq." He sighed. "He really hasn't forgiven me for making him face his past. But he still wants to marry me next week." He reached into his coat pocket and retrieved four envelopes. "These were originally the reason he went back to Sanq. Of course, these are not the invitations, he tore them up and burned them before burying them in our backyard when he came home."

The two winced. Yes, now those actions really told them that Duo really had some issues. Was forgiveness no longer a part of their friend's personality?

"Congratulations on your impending marriage," Quatre muttered, fingering the invitation hesitantly. He had been driven to try to alleviate his own guilt, but he didn't give much thought of what Duo might think of him, of them. From what Zechs had described, Duo was actually starting to hate them.

"Thank you. It was my honour that he said yes."

Trowa was disturbed. While Duo had always been one of the more emotional ones of the five of them, along with Quatre, he didn't fall prey to such extremes of emotion. Duo was extremely good at hiding what he thought if he had the compulsion to and he was always in control, despite all outwardly appearance of him being brash and mouthing off. Trowa had always knew there was a rather large brain behind those blank eyes of Duo Maxwell. And the success of this company was a very clear indication of it. Now, Duo was acting very much like a petulant child, and it made it clearer just how much closer he was on the brink of total emotional collapse. But it took him _seven_ years to get to this point? That long?

"It took him that long because I didn't bring anything up. I was afraid myself that he would leave me if situations were put right between all of you," Zechs admitted, not really pleased with himself.

Trowa blinked. Did he say that out loud?

"It took me even longer to realise that Duo wasn't going to leave me no matter what. It was only then the kid in me that wanted to keep him only to myself went to sleep and I started to stir things up with him." Zechs exhaled and relaxed, having said his piece. "I want him to come to me unfettered by the past so we can build a future together. Call it a wedding present. We even had a uterus implanted in him so we could have biological children together."

"What!" Trowa and Quatre gasped.

Zechs smirked. "Aaah, just checking if you were with me. Both of you looked like you were a million miles away."

"It's really not that funny," Quatre protested, his eyes narrowing. "I still don't understand how that business plan ended up on my table."

Zechs shrugged. "Fate?"

"Like you need financing."

Zechs rubbed a finger across his chin, contemplating. "That may not be such a remote possibility, especially if Winner Inc is providing the financing…" _And invaluable contacts to future business opportunities_, was the unspoken phrase.

Trowa almost groaned as an unholy gleam appeared in Quatre's eyes and his partner sat forward, his body language changing completely to one of he seen used in all of his boardrooms. He was in 'business mode'. Trowa was sure that Quatre would have started negotiations there; he had heard over and over about how B&T would be good to be added to Winner Inc's company portfolio, when there was a familiar voice wafting from outside.

"Is Zach in there?" Came Duo's familiar voice.

"Yes, Max," Zech's assistant answered. "But he has a meeting with potential investors."

"Investors?" Duo's tone was confused. "Why do we need investors?"

"They are different, Max. They are from Winner In…"

The door slammed open before the sentence was complete and Duo came storming into the room. His angry eyes swept through the room until they landed on Quatre and Trowa. He marched up to stand next to Zechs and stabbed a finger at them.

"What the hell are _they_ doing here?" He spat.

Zechs rose gracefully to his feet and laid a hand on Duo's shoulder, which was furiously shrugged off. "They are here by my invitation."

Duo turned hurt accusing eyes at Zechs. From where Trowa was, he could see disbelief and betrayal in them. "You did _what_? You knew how I felt about them, you knew what they did to me, and yet you still call them here?" He whispered, his voice dropping.

Zechs pulled Duo close to him, strong arms encircling the shaking American. "Enough of this Duo. You still care for them. They can't still hurt you this badly if you no longer care for them. And you need to speak with them, work it out, get things off your chest. You need…"

"Say 'closure' and I am going to explode," Duo growled softly.

Quatre and Trowa felt like interlopers, knowing that this is an intensely private moment between the two. But they wanted to be there, they wanted to speak with Duo. They had to.

Zechs pressed a kiss on Duo's temple. "You need it. You have been bursting at the seams for months now. It's not healthy."

Frustrated, Duo pushed him away. "And it's all your fault, you did this. You made me go back, you made me meet them and you called them here!" He was screaming almost hysterically. "I don't want to be in the same room as them and who knows what the next thing you would do? Sell our company to them?"

"That's not fair," Zechs scolded.

"Who knows what you might decide? You're flighty and undecided as it is. I don't even know if you are really want to marry me or if you are afraid to be alone…" Duo didn't manage to finish that statement as he went flying to the ground, his jaw exploding in pain. He sat up, staring at Zechs in utter amazement, a thin stream of blood snaking down the side of his lip where his tooth had cut.

"Do _not_ doubt what I feel for you," Zechs' tone was cold and unforgiving.

Quatre shot up from his seat, running toward his fallen friend when Duo shot up and ran out of the room.

"How could you do that?" Quatre turned on Zechs who was flexing his fist.

"I am not going to coddle him," Zechs stated, crossing his arms in front of him. "He's being an unreasonable brat and I am not going to make any excuses for him." He walked over to the chair and sank in it. "I'm sorry, I… I will speak to him about it later. He is in no condition to speak logic to right now."

Trowa tugged at Quatre's arm, recognising the subtle dismissal.

"But…" Quatre stared at the open door.

"Quatre, please, let's just go."

XXxxXX

Duo didn't remember what he was doing. He remembered bursting out of Milliardo's room, much to the shock of his assistant and leaving the office. His mind shut down while his legs brought him home. Yes, home. Their new two-storey house in the suburb was home. But for how long? Milliardo probably didn't want him anymore. That's why he hit him. Milliardo was probably sick of him. Sick of his constant need for reassurances, need for love and affection. Sick of his fear of being alone and abandoned. He felt slightly sick with guilt as he recalled exactly what he threw at the blond. He threw his own fears at him lover.

Yes, that had to be it. His lover lashed out at him because he had also decided he had enough, that he didn't want someone who took up all his time all the time.

He didn't even hear the tiny voice in the back of his mind reminding him that he actually deserved to be punched in the face. He skittered to a stop in front of the mirror in the dining room and stared at the growing bruise on his face. It was a stark indication that eventually, everyone left Duo Maxwell. He pushed himself away from the wall and stalked up the stairs.

Well, since Duo Maxwell was meant to be alone, he had better learn to live with being alone.

At the top of the stairs, he broke into a run and headed for their room. There was a bittersweet feeling at knowing that soon it wouldn't be their room anymore. He had no more place here. He rifled through the closets, looking for his suitcase. Where was his suitcase? It was always there, there was no reason for him to hide it or throw it away. Where did Milliardo put it? He began to pull his clothes from the closet frantically, throwing them in a messy pile on the bed.

"Duo, stop it!" Vice-like grip closed over his wrists. "What are you doing?"

"Let me go," Duo muttered, trying to break the grip. He pushed whoever it was aside and resumed thrashing his closet. "Have to leave. Mill won't want me to stay. Have to go."

Arms, strong arms encircled his waist, tightening to the point of pain. "No, please, don't leave me," a soft voice implored.

Duo stilled, recognising the voice even through the horrid noise in his head. "Mill?" He asked, uncertainly. It couldn't be Milliardo, Milliardo wouldn't want him anymore.

"You bleeding idiot," the same familiar voice whispered hoarsely in his ear. "What are you doing?"

Duo turned, almost afraid of who he might see. "Mill?" He asked again. He was pulled toward the warm body and hugged within an inch of his life.

"Stop running!" Milliardo shook his lover, concern and fear showing clearly on his normally impassive face. "I won't ever give you up, ever! Live with it, you flaming asshole."

Duo's defences collapsed and he threw himself deeper into those comforting arms, those shielding arms and let go.

XXxxXX

"Ow," Duo complained petulantly at having a packet of frozen peas slapped none too gently on his bruised jaw.

"Stop complaining," Milliardo scowled, rearranging so Duo's head lay on his lap. "You deserved that punch. You were being an idiot." His words and tone were harsh but the soft caress of his hand through Duo's hair said something else entirely.

"Sorry," Duo muttered sheepishly. "I didn't know why I said what I said."

"Well," Milliardo answered reluctantly. "Perhaps I shouldn't have done all of that without first consulting you. I forgot what happened when your mind shut down." He barely suppressed a shudder of terror. He _had_ forgotten how Duo reacted adversely to things. It had been so long that this little hiccup had happened. He didn't want to think what would have happened if he hadn't made it back home on time.

He might have had to cancel the wedding celebrations. When Duo Maxwell wanted to stay hidden, he stayed hidden.

Duo had been rather shocked at the intensity of his emotions. He had thought he let everything passed a long time ago. He had been pissed beyond belief when Milliardo and Hilde had rattled on and on about closure. He was completely certain he needed no closure. Now, he wasn't certain about anything any longer.

"I think perhaps you are right," Duo muttered under the peas.

"Ex… excuse me? What? Please repeat?" Milliardo asked, amused. The bastard.

"I said… You. Are. Right."

"Oh look," Milliardo pointed outside the window.

"What?" Duo raised himself up a little to see.

"Pigs flying."

Duo whacked him with a throw pillow. "I am not _that_ stubborn." He hit his lover again after an extended silence, which generally meant Milliardo didn't agree but he was too refined to put up an argument. "I still am not comfortable with them. I still don't know what to do with them."

Milliardo smiled in relief and continued stroking his lover's hair. "It doesn't matter anymore. Admitting you have a problem is already one step toward a solution."

And deep within, Milliardo felt that everything would indeed be alright.

tbc...


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimers:** I do not own GW.

**Warnings: **General warnings such as OOCs, shounen ai.

**Notes: **This is the promised Sequel to A Place to Belong. Not a long story but I hope you like my attempt at 2x6x2 anyway.

**Leaving the Past**

Chapter Four

Milliardo was relieved that Duo was acting more and more like himself. In other words, his fiancé was doing his best to annoy the living daylights out of him. From the time he had woken up, Duo had been acting like a wife, nagging at him for no particular reason and alternating between 'punishing' him for not telling him about Trowa and Quatre by ignoring him. Milliardo knew Duo wasn't serious about it, but he just wanted to make a point. The former prince of Sanq got the point more than three times over but there was a certain limit to what he could take. Normally, this cycle would cease once they got to the office but it was his bad luck that they had decided to take a few days off before their wedding to prepare for it.

"Duo, please shut up," Hilde groaned, throwing her piece of toast back onto the plate.

_Thank God for Hilde_, Milliardo thought.

Duo glared at his friend but miracles of miracles, he subsided and peevishly nibbled on his breakfast. Milliardo suppressed a soft chuckle at the sulk his lover had on and slid a hand over to cover Duo's. He squeezed it reassuringly. It was a silent message that simply meant 'I love you despite you being an annoying shit'.

Duo returned a smile that made Milliardo melt in his shoes and started attacking his breakfast with a little bit more relish. He looked up to see Hilde staring at the two of them. "What?" He mumbled around a bite of pancake.

"Making love at the breakfast table with friends as witnesses is not a very polite thing," Hilde said primly, taking a long sip of her juice.

"We were not!" Duo protested, pounding on Milliardo;s back who appeared to be choking on his own tongue.

Hilde rolled her eyes. "Oh, please tell me you didn't just climb onto Mill here and started humping him with your eyes."

"Did not!" Duo yelled while Milliardo turned an odd shade of purple. Duo wondered if his lover might need CPR or something.

Whatever Hilde wanted to say was cut off by the sound of the vidphone ringing. Duo stopped trying to pound Milliardo's lungs out and got up to get the phone. Duo froze when he saw whose image flashed over the vidphone.

"Du… Maxwell," Wu Fei said by way of greeting. "How are you?"

Duo's eyes narrowed. "What do you want? How did you get this number?" He leaned sideways to give his lover an accusing stare. Milliardo shrugged his innocence.

"It's easy to find once we know who we are looking for," Wu Fei, with just a slight trace of smugness. He turned serious. "I… we… need to speak with you." He reached out and grabbed someone, pulling Heero into the screen.

Duo swallowed convulsively, his breathing escalating. "Wh… what…" He reached out to disconnect the call.

"Wait, stop," Heero implored softly. "We need to talk."

Duo shook his head, backing away. "No, I have nothing left to say to you." A solid body blocked him from turning and running.

"Listen to him, Duo. It might do you some good," Milliardo said. "Please," he begged.

Duo agreed reluctantly, he had never denied Milliardo anything. "Fine." He crossed his arms defensively. "So, talk." He barely registered his lover leaving him alone but noted Wu Fei slinking wisely away.

Heero took a deep breath, running his fingers nervously through his messy mop. Duo noted with some detachment that even the years didn't change Heero's inability to control his hair. "I… Well… Sorry."

"For what?" Duo grunted. "For cheating on me? For lying to our friends and making them hate me? For betraying my trust? For lying to _me_ when you told me you loved me? That you wanted to be with me?"

Heero flinched but other than that, his expression remained for the most part impassive. "I admit to everything you have accused me of. But I just wanted for you to hear my part of it."

Duo sniffed condescendingly, looking away. He really didn't want to be there right now, speaking with Heero. He really wanted to just slam his fist and destroy the vidphone. But he found that he could stand there, he could bear listening to the voice of the person that so cruelly betrayed him without breaking down. Because despite Milliardo being in the other room, Duo could still feel his supportive arms around him, and his deep, velvety voice soothing him, telling him that he would never be alone again.

"Fine, for Mill's sake, I'll listen to you lousy excuses."

Heero's expression tightened. "I have no excuse to make for what I did with Wu Fei."

Duo noted with a little bit of jealousy at the softening of Heero's expression at the mention of his lover's name. Heero never had that expression on his face when they were together.

"But I wanted to clarify that I did love you with all of my heart and soul. I wanted to be with you for the rest of my life."

"Sure," Duo snapped back, sarcasm colouring his tone. "You loved me so much you ended up in bed with Wu Fei."

Heero's jaw tightened. "Look, do you want me to continue or do you want to stand there and make commentaries all day?"

Duo reached out to disconnect the call.

"Wait!" Heero called out.

Duo stopped and stared insolently at the Japanese.

"Please listen to me, Duo. I really wanted to marry you. Wu Fei… that night was a mistake, I freely admit it. I want to apologise for that, but I know that nothing I say will ever make it better. I screwed up, I did something I shouldn't have. But I was young, and I needed to know if what I felt for _you_ was just friendship or otherwise. I…" Heero's voice hitched slightly. "I couldn't believe someone could love me for me without some sort of ulterior motive. And I couldn't believe I could feel a basic emotion such as love. That night with Wu Fei proved what I felt for you was real."

Duo nodded. "And yet I find you and Wu Fei together, as a couple. Right." He was really getting sick and tired of listening to Heero backpedal.

Heero took a deep breath. "I really loved you, Duo. That's why I was so torn up when you left me."

"That and the fact you were guilty? Or just putting up an act for the benefit of our _friends_," Duo shot back without missing a beat.

Heero slammed his fists on both sides of his vidphone, startling Duo to take a step back. "I. Loved. You. I can say it a million times more and it won't make it any more real for you. I am not making excuses. I just wanted you to know how much you hurt me. I bear the majority of the blame, I did cheat on you, but you _ran_. You didn't even give bother to fight for me, to confront me!"

"I saw how you looked at him, Heero," Duo muttered, his eyes trained on his shoes. His voice was tired, his posture dejected. "I never wanted to admit it to myself, but you had the softest, gentlest expression on your face. You loved him even then. You were lying to yourself." He lifted pain-filled eyes to stare at a rather shocked Heero.

"I…"

Duo sighed. "I don't care anymore. I really don't. You and Wu Fei can keep each other. I have someone who looks at me like the way you looked at Wu Fei that night." He lowered his gaze and step back. "Look, I don't really care about you, or your friends, but since Mill invited you to our wedding, you are welcome to attend. Whether you are there or not really doesn't matter to me." He disconnected the call.

He swung around and saw Milliardo standing at the doorway leading to the dining room. The blond open his arms inviting and was soon rewarded with an armful of Duo Maxwell.

"I am so proud of you, my love," Milliardo squeezed the slightly shaking man in his arms. And he really was. After seven long years, Duo had stopped running and faced his fears, his hurts. Duo had stopped _running_.

Duo merely nodded.

Yes, he had stopped hiding.

XXxxXX

Heero whirled around and marched up to Wu Fei, who wasn't exactly doing a good job of pretending _not_ to eavesdrop. "Did I really?"

"What?" Wu Fei blinked, confused.

"Don't pretend you didn't hear everything," Heero grabbed Wu Fei. "Did I?"

"Stare?"

Heero nodded tersely.

Wu Fei nodded.

The Japanese man released Wu Fei, pushing his gently away. "So I am a lying, cheating bastard."

Wu Fei smiled sadly at Heero. It hurt him to see his partner so confused.

"I thought I was ready to commit myself to him," Heero murmured faintly, staring into space.

"You loved him in your own way, Heero. I know you did."

Heero raised his gaze to meet Wu Fei's. "What do I do now?" He really didn't know how he should carry on. He didn't really like it to have all his illusions ripped from him.

Wu Fei gripped his shoulder companionably.

The Japanese man realised all of a sudden why Wu Fei suited him so well, why they had managed to last seven long years without a major row. Duo was like fireworks, they were beautiful and they burn out quickly. Wu Fei was a candle. Slow and steady it burned. Duo was too flighty, too unpredictable for his taste. Wu Fei was as unpredictable as a rock.

Duo was a lover. Someone enjoy, someone to pamper and to have tonnes of fun with. But eventually, the flame would die out.

Wu Fei was a partner. He was someone Heero could grow old with.

But then again, to be extremely fair, everything was relative. Heero just didn't see Duo as a partner. Deep down, he was glad someone did. He really wanted Duo to have all the happiness he had ignorantly taken from the American.

"Do?" Wu Fei was saying, cutting through his haze of introspection. "_We_ are going to his wedding."

Was it ever a doubt why Heero Yuy cherished Chang Wu Fei?

XXxxXX

"Uh, guys?" Hilde whispered from the table, not really wanting to interrupt an intensely private moment between Milliardo and Duo. She was half jealous of their devotion to each other, the other part, she was just a damn pervert who positively thrived on anything remotely slashy.

"Yeah?" Duo muttered, his face still stuck in Milliardo's shoulder. It wasn't very comfortable, since Milliardo was all muscle but the arms running gently up and down his back made it all worthwhile.

"The grease on the chicken is congealing. Shall I clean up?"

Duo stepped back and Milliardo dropped his arms away from him. They exchanged a wry glance. "Yes, please."

Hilde wisely slunk away, leaving the two to talk.

Milliardo pulled Duo gently to the couch and sat him down. "Are you alright?"

Duo nodded. "I'm not hearing white noise like I usually do. I don't feel like taking off from here. Why?" He tilted his head in confusion.

The former Sanq prince smiled in relief, grabbed his fiancé behind the next and kissed him for all its worth. When Milliardo pulled away, he was gratified to see a rather silly grin on Duo's face and his eyes looked like they were glazed over. He really couldn't resist a smirk. He loved how he affected his partner sometimes.

"Can I say somewhere along the lines between me socking you in the face and you trying to punish me for socking you in the face, I think you have managed to put some of what happened behind you."

"Just because you cleaned my clock?" Duo wiggled his jaw in protest.

Milliardo draped an arm companionably over Duo's shoulders. "Let's say it took you seven year to grow up and my patience has been rewarded." He kissed Duo's pouty lips and smiled.

"Please don't say like you have been babysitting a child," Duo groused, irritated. He attempted to push Milliardo away but was held fast.

"Hmm, let's not say I'm a paedophile," Milliardo teased, rubbing their groins together.

Duo really wished he had more self-control around his lover but he could feel himself smiling in amusement. He was ready to lose himself in their overly large bed and leave the cleaning to poor Hilde when the vidphone rang, _again_.

"What did you say about facing my past again?" Duo growled in annoyance. "If I face my past anymore, there isn't going to be any future!" He gestured to his visible arousal.

Milliardo pushed his lover onto the couch, he leaned and did his best to make Duo forget the vidphone… forget everything but the sensation of his mouth. He was half successful, since both of them forgot Hilde's existence rather quickly.

"Mill… oops!" Hilde skidded to a stop, her hand over her mouth in shocked surprise.

The two grappling on the couch sprang apart, and all three of them were stuck in a contest of who could flame red the most. Hilde was leading the competition.

Duo threw a pillow a Milliardo. "Sorry about that," he apologised, trying to steady his breathing.

Milliardo groaned. "Yes, Hilde?"

Hilde now had her eyes averted to the side. They two lovers knew she was doing this out of politeness, they had experienced her once trying to sneak in some photos of the two of them. She was heard muttering something about an auction on eBay and to feed the starving children.

"Erm… uh… Relena's on the phone."

Milliardo's expression stiffened. "I have nothing to speak to…"

"She wants to speak to Duo," Hilde amended. "She seems rather… apologetic."

Duo and Milliardo exchanged uncertain glances as the American headed toward the phone to pick up the call. Relena Peacecraft flashed onto the screen.

"Oh… um… hi, Duo…" She trailed of uncertainly. "Did I catch you at a bad time?" She noted his dishevelled hair and crumpled shirt.

"No," Duo said, running his fingers through his hair in an attempt to tame it. "Can I help you?" He was trying to be as civil to her as possible.

"I'm sorry," she blurted abruptly. "I am so sorry about the things I said. I didn't know what happened, and I blamed you automatically, I didn't mean about the whole gold digging thing, I didn't know. God, I even use your shampoo. It is fabulous and it makes my hair so lustrous and shiny and…"

Duo chuckled softly. He really didn't blame her for the things she said. After all, it really wasn't her fault that she was told something other than the truth. But what he couldn't believe was this young, polished politician babbling like a teenage girl. "Well, I did call you a pink-loving-stalking-obsessed freak once."

Relena frowned. "When?"

"Out of your hearing, of course." He grinned evilly.

Relena stuck out her tongue at him.

"So are you coming to the wedding?" Milliardo asked, coming from behind Duo. He had thawed considerably.

Relena nodded, her smile was like the sun coming out from the clouds. "Of course, you're my brother. And you," she looked at Duo. "You're going to be family as well." There was a little pause before she added. "Did Hilde manage to get any pictures of the two of you necking? I have this little account on eBay…"

Tbc…

A/N: I am a yaoi fangirl, I freely admit it!


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimers:** I do not own GW.

**Warnings: **General warnings such as OOCs, shounen ai.

**Notes: **This is the promised Sequel to A Place to Belong. Not a long story but I hope you like my attempt at 2x6x2 anyway.

**Leaving the Past**

Chapter Five

"So, why aren't you out there right now?" Hilde asked, watching Duo pace the room.

It was the day of the wedding and minutes away from the actual ceremony. The guests had almost all arrived and were seated in the backyard, where the ceremony, and the subsequent signing of legal documents to render them both legal life partners was going to take place. Milliardo was outside, taking on the role as the host and greeting their guests.

Duo, on the other hand, had decided that a panic attack was in order. He had been ranting about not being worthy of his fiancé and Milliardo was about to leave him at the altar. Hilde had sighed rather loudly and suggested if Duo was so afraid of Milliardo running off, perhaps he should be out there, instead of being in here. That way he could keep tabs on his lover. Duo had looked at her friend like she was insane.

"And watch him walk away from me?" Duo gaped at his friend's simple-mindedness.

"For crying out…" Hilde rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Duo, anyone blind and death can feel the love he has for you. Your cold feet are really getting out of hand." She pulled her friend up from the couch and gave him a push toward the door. "Go, get out there and show off how good you two look together. And make all the girls completely sick of jealousy at the two of you." She droned on again, lamenting about why good-looking guys were invariably gay.

"You think so?" Duo asked, nervously twisting the end of his coal dark suit.

Hilde resisted the urge to scream. She found it doubly amusing that the usually calm and confident Deathscythe pilot could be uncertain when it came to such a simple human emotion such as love. Besides, Milliardo had tried, over and over again since last night to assure his already panicky lover that he _did_ indeed want to go through with the wedding and there was no possible reason that would make him decide against it. After three hours of endless reassuring, Milliardo had gotten annoyed, shoved Duo into Hilde's arms and went to sleep. Milliardo loved Duo, but after three hours of clinging and hand wringing, he had decided to let his lover draw his own conclusions about the wedding. He had woken up refreshed and ready to face the day while Duo still had Hilde held hostage and going on and on about how he was sure Milliardo was on a one way trip to India right now. He had the most hilarious expression when Milliardo came down to make them all some breakfast.

"Aren't you in India?" Duo had asked, gaping. His eyes were round and staring at Milliardo in a way that told Hilde he didn't really believe the tall blond was standing in front of him, flipping pancakes.

Milliarod rolled his eyes in exasperation and looked toward Hilde. "He's still at it?"

Hilde yawned, rubbing her eyes tiredly. "Yes. Since the time you dropped him on my lap. You look bright and chirpy," she groused, jealous that Milliardo got the sleep that she was deprived of. And he was Duo's huggy bunny, not her. There was just no justice in this world.

Duo didn't appear to mind being talked around of, or ignored. He was still too busy processing the fact that Milliardo was still around, and marrying him today. He still hadn't run while he could. Just how stupid was his fiancé anyway? The fact that he had just insulted himself flew right over his befuddled head.

"Hurry up and eat," Milliardo pointed to the plate on the table. "The caterers are coming over in a while."

That had been hours ago. And Duo was still at it. But Hilde was completely adept at tuning her friend out. In fact, it was a necessity rather than a talent. Hilde smiled at the vision they two of them made. Their suits were dark coal, simple and yet elegant. They wore white shirts and deep red roses for corsages. There was nothing fancy about the clothes they wore and yet, something about the way they moved, especially together, drew attention to them.

There was a brief knock on the door and Hilde went to answer it. "I think it might be Relena."

Duo shrugged and resumed digging a small trench on the floor. "It might be someone coming to tell me that the wedding is off and Milliardo is on our private jet to India."

"What is it with you and India?" Hilde yelled, unable to contain her frustration anymore. "Heero!" She gasped, staring at the person just beyond the door. "Wu Fei? Trowa?"

Duo's head snapped up. "Quatre…"

Hilde stepped back while the guys crowded into the room. She stood there, indecisive. She was torn between running for Milliardo and staying there to give support to her friend.

Duo took a deep breath. "Hilde, could we have a moment in private?" He smiled at her, trying to tell her that it was alright, that he can handle it.

"But…" Hilde protested.

Duo nodded. "Please, Hilde. Thank you."

Soon, there was the five of them left within the silence of the room.

"Thank you for coming," Duo started, wishing he felt a little less awkward. He wasn't calm enough to be angry with them or angry enough at this point to be interested in their ganging up on him. "Please enjoy the lovely reception we have prepared. The drinks are served _outside_." He stressed the last a little.

"Duo, we… I… we…" Quatre started but apparently it led them nowhere.

"Duo, I would like to wish you all the best in your future and congratulations," Trowa stepped for extending his arm.

Duo stood there for a moment, staring down at the outstretched hand and then back up at Trowa. There didn't seem to be any sarcasm in the tone, and Trowa appeared to genuinely want to wish Duo well. He took the other man's hand and shook it for a moment before quickly releasing it.

Quatre bounded up next, encouraged by Duo's easy acceptance of Trowa. "I hope he is good to you," he said, realising at the last second that he said the wrong thing.

Duo's expression froze. "Yes, I know he will. He has been for the past seven years," he said, frostily. 'While you have been ignoring me and believing my lying lover' was the continuation of that sentence not said.

"Duo," Quatre sighed.

Wu Fei stepped forward and Duo stiffened even more. "I have nothing to say except sorry. I understand it is not enough. I have done the unacceptable. And I only hope that one day you would be able to forgive enough for us to be friends again." He wisely moved away, standing behind Heero. He pushed his partner forward a little while Heero, being prodded forward, turned and glared at him.

Duo crossed his arms in front of him, wishing them gone so he could sit and privately torture himself about being left at the altar by Milliardo. There was no way anyone could love him, and if Heero, who understood him so well and was of the same status socially as him could find someone else to love, what was left for him?

"I know we have spoken over the phone," Heero started, a little hesitant. "But please, while I have already admitted it was my fault, I want you to take a small part of the blame." He raised his hand to cut of the protest ready on Duo's lips. "You ran," he looked at Duo, his eyes sad. "You had no faith in our relationship. You didn't fight for me."

Duo turned away, clenching his fists. He could remember that day so well. It had just been the confirmation of his deepest fears. That he had sinned too much in the past and God didn't deem him worthy of something to love. Everyone left him, and every bit of happiness he got was fleeting. Cherish everything, take nothing for granted. That was how he lived his life.

And he wondered when Milliardo would follow Heero's route. When would it be that the former prince would be sick and tired of him? When will he move on?

"There was no reason to fight. It was clear," Duo bit out.

Heero walked around and stood in front of him. It was a little balking that he had to look up at the American. "What was clear?"

"No one could love Duo," Duo said softly. "No one should love Duo." Then his expression hardened. "You made your choice that night. I saw it on your face."

Heero growled in annoyance. Unable to stop himself, he reached out and captured Duo by the arms, shaking him. "You didn't even want to hear an explanation. You just ran with your tail in between your legs as always."

Duo flinched as if he had been slapped. He reacted by pushing Heero away and striding towards the door.

"Running again?" Heero taunted, unable to help himself. Wu Fei hurried over, trying to silence his lover.

Duo swung around, rage burning through him. "Yes, I may run and I may hide but I sure as hell don't sleep with my best friend and then tell the rest of my friends what an ass my lover was by running away. At least I don't lie." He didn't feel the satisfaction of seeing Heero's face fall, or Wu Fei's stricken expression. He had gone out of his way to hurt, and he succeeded but he felt little victory. It didn't matter to him anymore who hurt whom, or who left whom, or who betrayed whom. He wasn't sure why it ceased to be an issue with him after seven years of torturing himself. Perhaps he was flightier that he gave himself credit for?

He sighed, running his fingers through his hair distractedly. "Okay, this has gone far enough. Today is supposed to be the happiest day of my life. I don't want to spoil it by arguing with all of you. I will repeat once again. The celebrations are outside, not here. So please…" He trailed off as Quatre stepped forward. Great, what now?

"I know this probably doesn't mean much to you, at least not now," Quatre said, looking through his inner jacket pocket. "But I want to make it clear why we really thought you left without a word and why we so easily believe Heero." He pulled something out.

Duo stepped back instinctively. He knew Quatre would hurt him purposefully but still, instincts were hard to curb, even after so long. Once a soldier, always a soldier.

Gasps of surprised were heard all round.

"I didn't know you still had that," Heero exclaimed, taking a step toward Quatre, his hand stretched toward a small velvet box resting in Quatre's palm. Wu Fei lay a restraining arm on his lover.

Trowa smiled sadly. "We never threw it away as you asked. Quatre always held a hope that Duo would ceom back one day, eventually. On his own. He wanted Duo to see this."

"No," Heero protested, his jaw tight. "Give it back to me."

Duo frowned, curious. He didn't know what this was, that could provoke such a strong reaction from the normally quite impassive Heero Yuy. This he really had to see. He inched forward. "What is it?"

Quatre extended his hand toward Duo, palm up, with what looked like a ring box resting in the middle. "Heero got this the day after you disapp… left. He didn't have enough money at the time but he said this was what you wanted. I gave him a loan for it. He paid me off, when he knew you would never be returning, and he asked me to destroy it. I didn't."

"Quatre," Heero growled in warning. He really didn't want Duo to see this. It made him look like a lovesick fool. He was, back then.

Duo took the ring box, gingerly opening it. A wordless exclamation passed his lips. He couldn't believe his eyes. Nestled on the velvet pillows inside were two identical rings. There were abstract patterns carved over it and in the middle was a beautiful ruby. He had been ogling the rings for ages and was told by the jeweller that it was unique. It was done by a local craftsman that had passed on a few weeks back. And the price was phenomenal. The jeweller had finally told him that if he wanted the rings, he had better put a deposit on it, since there were other interested party but Duo had shook his head sorrowfully. They were in no position to afford something this extravagant.

He swung surprised eyes to Heero's downcast ones. "You bought it?" He took a step toward Heero. "You actually bought it?"

"It was supposed to be an engagement ring," Wu Fei explained when it was apparent there was no explanation forthcoming from Heero. "He told me about getting it that… night." He winced at bringing that up, half expecting Duo to go insane with rage again.

Instead, Duo dropped his gaze to the twin rings in his hands. "Even after that night, you still wanted to be with me?" He repeated in wonder.

"I did. I told you so," Heero muttered.

Duo didn't really hear much of that. His mind was whirling. Was it possible? That finally, Duo was able to keep someone? To love someone? If he hadn't run, would Heero have wanted to spend forever with him, even if Duo knew Heero would always wonder if Wu Fei and him would ever be happy together?

Had God forgiven him for causing so much death?

But part of him was glad that he ran. His former partner and Wu Fei made an excellent match. And if he hadn't run, he would have never had today. But, the one thought that ran through his mind was: he was worthy. He was worthy of everything. And he was worthy of today. Today, he realised with a start, his wedding day. And he left Milliardo all alone outside. It looked like he was the one doing the abandoning and not Milliardo. As if waking from a trance, he quickly walked past Quatre, pressing the box into his hands and headed toward the door. He stopped just before it.

"Thank you," Duo said softly. "You don't know what you did today. But, I don't think we can be friends… yet." With that he exited the room.

The rest within were slightly confused as to what happened but that didn't stop the slow blossoming of hope at the one word: yet.

For now, it was enough.

XXxxXX

There were guests milling around and Milliardo was hard pressed to greet and entertain them all. He wished Duo was out here, shouldering half the burden but he knew his lover still had issues with himself. Issues that he had to deal with before he was ready to start a new life with him. He just hoped that it would happen before they signed the papers, rendering them legal partners for life. But that was a slim hope.

Milliardo knew that Duo's problems stemmed first from the betrayal Heero had dealt him but it went deeper than that. It was more of Duo's self-worth. There were many times he saw the utter disbelief and wonder in violet eyes when Duo looked at him, touched him, or made love to him. It was as if Duo couldn't comprehend what Milliardo was doing with him, or what he had ever done to deserve such a wonderful partner. He wondered where was the confidence he used to experience when he was around the American. Perhaps it was all a façade that this last event stripped so completely?

Duo was more than confident, to the point of arrogant when it came to work. But when it came to baring his heart and soul to the one he cared about, that was where he was reduced to a child just learning to walk. Like that child, he was afraid to stand and take that first step but knowing he must one day.

He was startled from his thoughts by a warm hand snaking into his own. He looked to his side to find Duo standing next to him, smiling and shaking the hand of his guests, welcoming them. He gaped at the subtle difference in his lover. There was nothing tangible about the change, but changed his lover was. There was something different about him, different about the Duo he knew compared to the Duo that stood beside him. But it was a difference that he liked.

"Here to check if I got on that jet to India?" Milliardo whispered teasingly into Duo's ear.

Duo looked up and his stared pierced Milliardo right to the soul. "As if you would ever leave me. And besides," he smiled impishly. "I would come after you. I will tie you to me for as long as we both shall live."

Milliardo suppressed a surprised gasp. This was the Duo he knew. Duo had forgotten his devilish, slightly maniacal persona. He thought Duo had forgotten, but this person standing next to him… Slowly he smiled, widening into a grin. He finally got to see his Duo pieced together again. He finally got his Duo healed. And with a few minutes to spare before they signed the legal documents, he thought jokingly.

_Thank you_, he thought silently to whatever deity that brought this about.

_You're welcome, my love. Be happy, be well._

"Mill?" Duo asked, concerned.

Milliardo relaxed, gifting Duo with a tender smile, one filled with affection. "I'm alright. I'm perfectly alright."

He looked across the room and spied Trowa and the rest. He noticed that the tension that had beset them when they first came into his home had also decreased significantly. Something happened within that room. He shot them a look of utter gratitude.

"Should we?" Duo tugged Milliardo's hand, indicating the start of the ceremony.

"Meet the rest of our lives?" Milliardo returned, sounding horribly poetic and nauseously sappy.

Duo rolled his eyes. "Yes."

Milliardo gave Duo a quick kiss. "Why not?"

XXxxXX

Duo felt delicious sore as he sat up, stretching his limbs. It was barely dawn and barely an hour since they finally drifted off to bed but Duo felt too energised to remain in slumber. He turned to study his sleeping partner.

Husband.

The word tasted sweet on his tongue. While it was a very odd term for two men; him preferring the word partner or lover; it was still a word he would relish. The ceremony went off without a hitch, except for the parts where Duo overheard Relena and Hilde discussing something about a photo collection for yaoi fangirls. He decided the less he knew, the happier he would be. He didn't speak to the other pilots for the rest of the night but he no longer felt uncomfortable with them around. Perhaps this was what Milliardo meant by closure? But what he had said at the end was true. He might be able to accept them as someone in his life again, but the day might be a long time away.

He stared at his lover again, all golden and sprawled out on their bed, rumpled from vigorous love making. For now, this was his life. And it really was enough.

Milliardo turned in his sleep, reaching toward Duo's side of the bed. When he felt nothing but cooling sheets, he bolted up, and knocked his forehead against Duo's, how was in the act of leaning over.

"Damn it, Mill," Duo cursed, rubbing his aching forehead.

"Ouch!" Milliardo raised his hand to his own abused head. "I thought you left."

Duo smirked, leaning over to tease Milliardo with a soft kiss. "Looks like I am not the only one with issues."

"It really doesn't help your case when you are constantly beset by a pair of really swift feet and the desire to hide," Milliardo shot back.

"Well, do you see me running?" Duo slid his arm down the covers.

Milliardo's breath caught as a hand groped at him. "How about a little riding instead?" He pulled Duo on top of him.

Duo grinned. "My pleasure," he breathed before his lips descended on his lover's.

Perhaps happily ever after was merely an illusion but Duo would like to think this was a close to it as it can get.

**The end**


End file.
